Gastric banding, also known as lap band surgery, uses an inflatable silicone band to divide the stomach and create a very small stomach pouch. While the diameter of the band is generally about five centimeters, the surgeon can adjust the
diameter by pumping saline into the band from a reservoir implanted under the patient’s skin. Just as with vertical-banded gastroplasty, blockage of the band can be problematic, and unfortunately the reservoir implanted beneath the skin doesn’t last forever. Consequently, weight regain with this method can also occur. In general gastric banding
is no more successful than vertical-banded gastroplasty, and it too can result in iron and vitamin B12 deficiency. Laparoscopic gastric banding requires more frequent visits for band adjustment.